Top 10 things to expect from poker in 2023
While it is really hard to guess what the year will bring us, we love to speculate on it, so here we share 10 things we think we can expect to see from the poker industry in 2023.
10. Crypto poker
Cryptocurrencies indeed slowed down a bit in 2022. However, the online poker industry sees this only as a minor fluke, and we should expect an increase in the number of poker platforms accepting crypto in 2023.
Poker players enjoy the privilege of anonymity as well as fast and secure transactions, all three of which cryptocurrencies offer.
Online poker sites that accept crypto offer their players complete control over their assets and have the possibility to secure completely random shuffles that can be verified thanks to blockchain technology.
This would make millions of poker players feel safe playing their favorite game online and allow them to play completely anonymously. More and more online poker sites will start accepting some kind of digital money during 2023, while some smaller rooms might even switch to crypto completely.
9. More poker bonuses
One of the biggest benefits poker players could see in 2023 is the increase in online poker bonuses offered by top operators. In the past, most of the promotions that poker sites offered were based on big first deposit bonuses, but poker sites could lower their bonus criterium to attract new players.
We would not be surprised to see additional promotions offering extra value in the form of complimentary tournament tickets, gamification elements, and even extra rakeback.
8. New poker variants and formats
New games and formats have always been one of the go-to methods for online poker operators to attract new customers and keep the ones they already have.
By most predictions, this trend should continue in 2023, especially if we consider that most poker games are based on the same principles. Take, for example, 6+ Hold’em, one of the most popular new games that is completely based on Texas Hold’em.
This allows players to learn the game quickly and start playing without feeling overwhelmed by completely new rules.
The other similar trend that should continue is the development of new poker formats. This has shown as a profitable move for online poker platforms. Games such as Spin and Goes and Jackpot Sit & Goes have a huge following, especially from amateur players.
We should expect an increase in the number of live poker events during 2023. (photo by Anna Shvets)
After the pandemic hit, there were a lot of concerns about how the world of live poker would look going forward. Fortunately for poker players, 2022 showed us that everything will continue as before when it comes to the live poker scene.
With this said, the concerns impacted many organizations and tournament directors who decided to hold back on the live events in 2022.
However, after a successful 2022 from a live poker standpoint, we should expect an increase in the number of live poker events during 2023, as many of the venues will now be at full capacity thanks to the reduction of COVID-19 measures.
6. Increased number of mobile poker platforms
Since mobile poker platforms were introduced, poker players’ appetites have been growing as it has become one of the most popular forms of poker, especially for recreational players.
This is not only true for poker but also other areas of online gambling, and it should come as no surprise that the industry is expecting an increase in the number of players that play on real money poker apps and tablet devices.
Another big reason for the increased number of mobile poker platforms is the consequences of the pandemic, which saw an increase in the overall number of poker players.
5. Virtual reality poker
Online poker sites are always on the lookout for new ways to attract customers, and for years, new technologies have been one of the best ways. For 2023 the most impactful technology in the poker world might be virtual reality, as it could help poker providers solve the problem of creating a social poker setting online.
Combining virtual reality with poker would allow players who play online to experience the game's social nature, even from their homes.
4. Increased poker live streaming services
In 2022 we witnessed a significant increase in the number of televised poker games compared to years before the pandemic. Furthermore, the number of live-streamed events on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and even Facebook also increased.
We can only expect more live-streamed poker games in 2023 if we judge the trend by the ever-growing viewership of these games.
3. New poker markets regulation
One of the biggest news items in the last two years is the new U.S. law allowing individual states to regulate gambling. This has resulted in several U.S. states allowing poker rooms to offer services to players residing on their territory.
The U.S. is one of, if not, the biggest poker markets in the world, and by the looks of it, we can only expect more states to allow poker and other types of online gambling.
On top of that, Canadian poker sites became regulated in the biggest province of Ontario, and this trend is likely to continue in other markets, so we will likely see more regulations in 2023.
2. Possible introduction of poker as a sport
One of the biggest issues that poker has been facing for a long time is that the public perceives it as solely a gambling game. However, with the increase of poker TV shows, podcasts, and live streams, public opinion has been slowly shifting, and people are starting to realize that there is much more to poker than luck.
People are starting to realize that there is much more to poker than luck. (photo by Javon Swaby)
Apart from having a chance to be a part of the major competitions, classifying poker as a sport would forever open new horizons for the game and change the poker landscape. While it is not very likely to happen in 2023, we hope to see some steps in that direction.
1. New poker operators
Most estimates show that the online poker industry will continue to grow in 2023, along with the whole iGaming sector. Apart from the increased revenue of the established names in the poker industry, most predictions suggest that we could witness the introduction of new names.
Just like in the last few years, new operators are expected to enter the online poker landscape and try to establish a name for themselves, as this is one of the industries with the biggest growth in the gambling sphere.
The biggest benefactors of these changes should be the players, as new operators tend to offer more benefits to promote their platforms.